Say Anything Else
by Route67
Summary: It’s Valentine’s Day! Lorelei prepares for a traditional Gilmore blowout when Dean asks Rory out for a romantic Valentine’s date. While Lorelei plans to celebrate alone, Lane struggles with her own dilemma: No plans, no boyfriend, and no John Cusack.
1. One

**Title: **Say Anything…Else

**By: **Chloe K. / Route67

**Rating: **K/ G (some kissing, tense family situations)

**Cover Art: **http://engeland.us/pic/ggfic.bmp

**Summery: **It's Valentine's Day! Lorelei prepares for a traditional Gilmore holiday blowout when Dean asks Rory out for a romantic Valentine's date. While Lorelei begins to make plans to celebrate alone, Lane struggles with her own romantic dilemma: No plans, no boyfriend, and now no John Cusack.

**Timeline: **This story takes place mid Season Two.

**Legal Disclaimer: **I do not own Stars Hallow, the Gilmores, their house, their names, their favorite hangouts and I'm certainly not taking responsibility for their coffee addiction. All characters and fictional locations belong to the WB/CW and associates.

**Feedback: **Feedback? Yes please! And thank you! And may I say, that color looks fantastic on you.

- - - - -

"Red Hots, Snowballs, red and pink M&Ms, Red Vines, Bubble Tape-"

"Mom!" Lorelei looked up from her crowded shopping basket and saw Rory swing around the corner holding a tomato aloft.

"Aw, something to paint the town red, that's my girl."

"No, I mean it's a Valentine's color."

"Uh-huh."

"It's red."

"Thank you Torero, I can see it's red."

"So we're buying anything in Valentine's colors. This is a Valentine's color."

Lorelei scrunched up her nose. "Yeah, but it's a vegetable."

"So?"

"So who's going to eat it?"

"Luke when he comes over?"

"And when does Luke ever eat anything out of our kitchen?"

"Not since he found out we keep PopTarts in the oven."

"Precisely."

Rory gave the tomato a sad look. "Goodbye, Bob."

"So anything without vitamin C, K or F back there?"

"There isn't a vitamin F. And no, nothing but a bunch of healthy stuff and Trix, but only some of the cereal is red."

"Trix!"

"But there's green and purple and-"

"Silly Rabbit."

"That's true the Silly Rabbit is cute."

"Trix!"

"Okay- hey, did you get marshmallows?"

"And pink sugar, red sugar, and white sugar."

"But we have white sugar."

"Not in a cute little shaker that matches the pink sugar and the red sugar."

"Got it. Oh shoot- what time is it?"

"Uh-" Lorelei glanced at her bare wrist. "You dragged Mommy out of bed too early o'clock?"

"You left your watch?"

"And my purse," she grinned as though proud of this.

"What about money?"

"Don't be silly, I may be at Doose's Market in my pajamas but would I forget good old Franklin? Him and me go way back."

"Well at least it's not your sparkly bathrobe."

"Hey, that was one New Years party."

"So…" Rory raised her eyebrows. "You brought a Franklin."

Lorelei dug out a twenty from her bathrobe's pink pocket. "Fine it's a Jackson. But him and me go back even further than Franklin."

"Well I can't be sure but I think I'm going to miss my bus to Chilton, so you and the President figure it out." She gave Lorelei a brief peck on the cheek. "See you!"

"You're just going to leave me here in my bathrobe to pay for all this junk alone?"

Rory stopped at the door. "I'll stick around if you put Bob back in the basket."

"The tomato's staying unless he wants to be french-fry dip."

"I'll call you later!"

"Bye!" Rory ran out the front door and Lorelei gave her basket a sad look. "Need coffee."

- - - - -

Lorelei walked into Luke's, still in her pajamas and bathrobe, and took a seat right next to the door. Luke came over moments later with a full pot of coffee and a vibrant orange mug. "What's with the bathrobe."

"I'm waiting for the Buffalo gals to come out."

"Just so it's not your sparkly one."

"Not you too."

"Where are your clothes?"

"Sleeping in because I couldn't. Coffee please?"

He set the mug down and started filling it. "I have a no shirt no shoes policy."

"Hey, I've got a shirt and shoes."

"Those are slippers."

"Oh. Yeah." She examined her fluffy pink feet and smiled. "But they sure are festive, huh?"

"Festive."

"Yeah."

"It's February, what holiday is in February?"

Lorelei gasped in exaggerated horror. "What holiday? Do you _own_ a Mary Engelbright calendar?"

"A what?"

"Valentine's Day, Luke, that's today. Even Mike Shinoda knows what it is, and he's more of a humbug than you are."

"Oh that." Luke muttered.

"Okay, don't tell me you're against Valentine's Day."

"You mean the confetti, the plastic hearts, the excess of Necco candy and the naked babies with wings holding weapons? Yeah."

"Hey, chicks dig bows and arrows, just ask Orlando Bloom. Of course, you know, he had clothes."

"And then there's the kissing on street corners and the Meg Ryan marathon and little kids giving pieces of tinfoil with Elmo on them to other kids, half of which they don't know, most of which they don't even like."

"Luke Danes, the Scrooge of V-Day."

"I'm just saying, it's a corny way to celebrate love."

"So how do you celebrate Valentine's Day?"

"Ah, you know, I close up, clean up, go to bed sort of early, get up sort of early."

"But that's what you do every day."

"And I love it." Luke said dryly, and went back behind the counter and into the kitchen. When he came out again moments later, he jumped. Lorelei was sitting at the bar now, holding her steaming mug in both hands and grinning. "Ah geeze…" Luke muttered.

"You wanna know what Rory and I do for Valentine's?"

"Do I have a choice about whether I find out?"

"Uh- no."

"Great."

"We go to Doose's and buy everything that's red, pink or white-"

"Tomatoes? Onions?"

"Hush, you. And we buy marshmallows and colored sugar and make our own Peeps, and then the marathon."

"Felicity, the complete series."

"Ew. _Gone With The Wind_, _Some Kind of Wonderful_, and in the last moments before midnight, _From Here to Eternity_. But just the beach scene. Over and over again until we realize that Deborah is a toothpick and Burt's hair sticks up in the front when it's wet and suddenly all the drama is lost."

"And then you go to bed sick to your stomachs."

"No, then we watch _Rain Man_."

"_Rain Man_?"

"And then we go to bed sick to our stomachs."

"What does _Rain Man_ have to do with Valentine's Day?"

"Nothing, it's just fun to watch Tom Cruise freak out for two hours."

"That's ridiculous."

"Hey, like Tevye said, my friend, tradition. Don't argue with tradition."

"So is that why you're in your bathrobe?"

"Rory dragged me out of bed at six so we could go to Doose's before school. Actually I would be sitting here with three paper bags of junk food to keep me company, but I didn't bother to grab my purse and let's just say twenty bucks doesn't cover a Valentine's blowout at the Gilmore home."

"Do you need to borrow some?"

"Nah, I had Taylor hold it for me. I'll pick it up later." She took another sip of coffee and leaned forward over the counter as Luke unloaded the new batch of cinnamon rolls into a glass dish. "I'm really excited, you know? Rory and I…sort of had a falling out over the whole termite thing. She told my mother about it, and…I didn't really _want_ my mother's claws in our home." she shrugged. "I mean, we made up. But we haven't had a fight that bad since her and Dean fell asleep at Miss Patty's. It's going to be nice, getting back to our routine. Feels good."

"I'm sure you'll have a great time."

"Yeah?" She grinned.

"Not my kind of thing, but I'm sure you and Rory will have a great time."

"Yeah. I bet we will."

"So, the usual?"

Lorelei's eyes widened in surprise. "You're offering me a glazed donut sans-lecture on saturated fats?"

"I figure it's a holiday. Apparently."

"Can you put pink sprinkles on it?"

"Don't push your luck."

"One bah-humbug glazed donut it is then." He smiled and got her a plate.

- - - - -

Rory caught herself glazing over. She sat up straight, blinking hard. It was tough to pay attention with Miss Keaton teaching. She lacked the flair Max Medina seemed to know intuitively and was entirely too good at the reiteration of irrelevant detail that Mr. Medina had stopped insisting upon when he started dating Lorelei. He told Rory once that her mom had convinced him life was short.

"He died in-"

"1968," Rory supplied.

"Very good Miss Gilmore."

"December 1968," Paris corrected. Rory felt her fingertips burn.

"Thank you, Miss Geller. Steinbeck died in December of 1968 in Manhattan, and was cremated according to his last wishes. His ashes now rest in-"

"The Garden of Memories in California," Paris said quickly.

"Salinas, California," Rory added before she could stop herself.

"That's correct," Miss Keaton replied, eyeing them both. "Salinas, meaning 'saltworks' or 'salt mine'." The bell rang and people started grabbing their books. "Remember to read _Of Mice and Men _and _The Pearl_ and write a report on each, due next week." Miss Keaton called over the commotion. "Five hundred words, people, both reports. I don't care how you split it. Enjoy your Valentine's Day."

Rory approached the back of the classroom and found Madeline and Louise chatting. "She's like Jim Weiss," Madeline was saying as she threw everything into her stylized satchel. "I can't keep my eyes open when she's talking."

"Weiss meets McKellen," Louise replied.

"She does have a long nose…"

"And gray hair."

Rory suddenly noticed breath on her neck and spun to find Paris glaring up at her. "Geeze, Paris!"

"What's the matter with you."

"Me, you're the one playing Ruth Gordon."

"I thought I told you to stay out of my way in English."

"Oh brother, I just did exactly what you did. If you can't take it, don't dish it out."

"You think I can't make you miserable? I can."

"I know Paris, too bad it isn't marketable." She grabbed her stuff and made for the door.

"Where are you going?" Paris demanded.

"Lunch," Rory replied loudly.

"You know I think I heard she's in her sixties," Madeline said suddenly.

"Now all she needs is a Tony and she could _be_ McKellen," Louise replied.

Paris rolled her eyes and stormed out the door through which Rory had gone.

- - - - -

Rory didn't go to the lunch hall. She'd lost her appetite and now she just wanted to clear hear head. She went to the parking lot to walk around but stopped short, noticing a very familiar truck parked outside. And someone was leaning against its door.

Rory broke into a run. "Dean? Oh my gosh!"

"Hey!" He scooped her up into a hug and gave her a quick kiss. "Happy Valentine's Day, girlfriend."

"Back atcha, boyfriend." She grinned, grabbing his hands and holding them to her waist. "Your timing is perfect, actually. Paris just jumped down my throat again. "

"Hilton?"

"More attitude, less lip gloss. So what are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to come down and see my girl on V-day."

"I told you I was going to stop by before dinner."

"I know, but uh…I have something I want to ask you."

Rory looked at him a little nervously, her hands slackening on his. "Okay."

He swallowed, looked up at her, down at his shoes, then back up like a nervous horse. "So, I know you and your mom do stuff on Valentine's."

"Yeah." She shrugged, her uncertainty speeding her dialogue. "I mean, the post office won't be closing and I'm sure Rachael Ray wouldn't approve of our culinary choices, but you have to give us props for picking a Lea Thompson film."

"_All The Right Moves_?"

"_Some Kind of Wonderful_. And Mom says her faith has been restored since she was on the Ritz box."

"Lea Thompson?"

"Rachael Ray."

"Right."

"Sorry, you were talking."

He grinned. "It's okay. Well, so Hartford U is having a Valentine's party this evening. It's a midnight thing; dancing, coat and tie, Jovani, Pearl Jam."

"And…?"

"And…I thought we could go."

Rory blinked her surprise. "Oh-"

"I mean, I know this is short notice, but I've been planning for awhile, you have a half day of school, and-" He took her shoulders and leaned down into her vision. "I just wanted to do something special."

Rory took a step back, thinking. "But- that's a Hartford U thing, right?"

"So?"

"So I go to Chilton."

Dean grinned, glancing at the building behind her. "Yeah I kinda knew that about you."

"But I can't just go to someone else's University for a party."

"After the students at Hartford get their tickets, they leave the rest open for outsiders to buy."

"But it's tonight, right? I mean, you're not going to be able-"

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out two white-and-pink tickets. "Hartford U Valentine's Day Event" was stamped on them in vivid red ink and for a moment Rory couldn't think of what to say.

"I thought we could drive down to Hartford, check in, hang around for the afternoon-"

"But I have a class."

"No you don't, teacher staff meetings, remember?"

"Oh- right. But I haven't had lunch."

"Rory-"

"And- hey, wait, what about your school?"

"Rory-"

"I mean we can't all be like Guy Ritchie, you could get expelled for skipping out."

"Rory." She stopped. "I've worked things out with school, I've reserved our table, all you have to do is say yes."

Rory stood and stared at him for a long time, but not one valid argument came to her. And an annoying little voice at the back of her head said, _It's Dean- why not?_ "I'll have to ask my mom."

"Wouldn't have any other way." He grinned and gave her a second kiss and started walking her back across the parking lot. "Guy Ritchie?"

"He said film school cranked out lame-os."

"Unlike _Swept Away_."

"Exactly."

"Are you really comparing me to Guy Ritchie?"

"Fine, Jim Carrey."

"That's much better, Gilmore, thank you."

"Don't mention it Forester." She stopped and grabbed his arm. "Dean?" He looked at her expectantly. "If it passes Lorelei, I'll definitely go with you tonight."

Dean grinned and kissed her a third time. "Call me as soon as you know."

"I will." They started walking again. "Only one problem."

"Yeah?"

"I don't own a Jovani."

"That's okay, I'm just in it for the girl." He gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Plus, Pearl Jam is like the 90's Lifehouse."

"Don't let Lane hear you say that. And it doesn't change the fact that I have nothing to wear."

"Hey, if Kate Hudson can't pull off a Jovani, no one can."

"Matthew McConaughey sure thought she pulled it off."

"She looked like she was wearing a curtain."

"Sacrilege."

"Sorry."

She jumped onto her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "It's okay. Any boyfriend who knows Kate Hudson wore a Jovani deserves a second chance." She ran off towards the main building. "See you!" He just shook his head, smiled and watched her go.

- - - - -


	2. Two

- - - - -

Lane's fingers were freezing and she was beginning to wish she'd brought her gloves with her. Why did she have to doodle AC/DC's lightening bolt logo on them with a silver gel pen? Why? Now she couldn't wear them in public again or somehow, some way, it would make it to the ears of Mrs. Kim. Even though she wouldn't recognize it as being AC/DC, she would probably think the lightening bolts were a symbol of God's wrath or something. Maybe she was right. Ever since Lane had drawn on them, her gloves had started unraveling from the fingertips down.

On her way down the sidewalk, she noticed a big red-and-white sign standing outside the Black White and Red Theater. "Pink White and Red" it said in bold letters, and below, a picture of someone holding a stereo aloft. However, where the figure's head should have been, Leonardo DiCaprio's head was pasted. Red and pink hearts cut out of construction paper decorated the sides, and on one of them was written, "Valentine's Day Special: 11pm showing of _Say Anything_!" Lane went inside.

"Uh, Kirk? What's with the sign?"

Kirk, who was readjusting his red vest and pink baseball cap, didn't look up from the mirror to reply. "We're showing _Say Anything_ tonight at eleven."

"Yeah I read the sign, but _Say Anything_ is a John Cusack movie."

Kirk turned. "So?"

"So, you've pasted Leonardo DiCaprio's head over John's and I was just sort of wondering…why. Is there an alternate ending I don't know about?"

"We thought Leo would attract more couples than John Cusack."

"But Leo's not in this movie."

"But Leo's the _Titanic _guy."

"But the serenade scene is a John Cusack scene, you can't replace him with some bleach-blonde, it'd be like replacing Peter Gabriel with Jesse McCartney. It'd be heinous."

"But John Cusack is the _Natty Gann_ guy. There's nothing romantic about _Natty Gann_ unless you think wolves are adorable."

"Or, unless you find John Cusack adorable, which, he was in his time." Lane insisted irritably.

Kirk gave her a puzzled expression. "I don't find John Cusack adorable. And I hate wolves. Ever see _Balto_?"

"The cartoon?"

"Nightmares."

"Have a good one Kirk," Lane sighed and left the BWR Theater , taking Leo's head with her on the way out. She smiled at the boom-box-hauling John Cusack and hurried home, her frozen fingers berried deep in her pockets.

The Kim's door swung open and she closed it gently behind her. "Mama?" She shed her coat, hat and scarf, hanging them on the post by the door. "Mama, are you here?"

"Amours and rocking chairs 35 off!"

"Mama, it's Lane!"

"Lane?"

"Yeah!"

"Left at door, right at stack of wicker chairs, left at sofa rude women with maroon scarf never picked up."

Lane followed the directions and found Mrs. Kim pricing a box-full of drawer handles and knobs. "Hey, Mama."

"How was school?" Mrs. Kim looked up suspiciously. "You're home early."

"Yes."

"Is your teacher sick?"

"No."

"Dead?"

"No."

"Is it a holiday?"

"Well yes, today's Valentine's Day, but-"

"And they cancel school for a day where children eat candy and people kiss other people they don't know?"

"No, Mama, they only called off PE and gave us extra study hall and I got done early."

"Oh." Mrs. Kim went back to her pricing. "Okay."

"Umn, Mama?"

"What."

_Uh-oh. What, not yes. _"Do you want some help?"

"You could go find me the black Sharpie marker, this one's dying."

"Sharpie. I'm on it." Lane smiled brightly and hurried off to the kitchen. She found the new marker in the drawer by the sink but on the way back, she stopped, clutching it tight between her thawing hands.

"Mama?"

"Did you find it?"

"Mama, there's a movie playing at the theater in town tonight." Silence. "And I wouldn't go with a boy, of course, no I would definitely go on my own. By myself. Just me, no boys at all." The silence continued and Lane was eventually forced to work her way back around the corner until she could see Mrs. Kim, still sorting knobs and not looking up. "Mama?"

"What is this movie?"

"It's called _Say Anything_."

"What's it about?"

"Umn, well a guy wants to date this really smart girl-" Mrs. Kim looked up sharply, and Lane had the distinct impression she'd just put her entire left leg in her mouth. "So he goes by the girl's house and asks her father's permission to take her to a party if he gets her back at a decent hour," she added quickly.

"Does he say yes?"

"Does who say yes, Mama?"

"The girl's father, does he let this boy take his daughter to a party?"

Lane bit the inside of her lip. "Yes, but-"

"No."

"What?"

Mrs. Kim finally looked up. "No decent father lets his daughter go to a party with some strange boy. You can't see the movie. Did you find the Sharpie?" The marker seemed to suddenly burn like a lump of coal in Lane's hand and she dropped it unceremoniously on the table. Mrs. Kim took the marker. "Thank you."

- - - - -

The loud crash from the kitchen was Lorelei's first clue as to where Sookie could be found. She went for the swinging door at a run. "Sookie?"

"Over here!" came a cheery reply and a hand emerged from somewhere behind a toppled stack of crates.

"Sweetie, what were you doing?" Lorelei asked as she grabbed the flailing hand and hauled Sookie to her feet.

"I was trying to find the craisins for the Valentine's breakfast muffins. I managed to make them very lightly pink, you know but not Barbie's six-inches pink, and I thought I'd add a sort of light accent."

"But I thought you were going to do strawberry pieces, Jackson brought in a great strawberry batch this week."

"I know, but strawberries are so traditionally Valentine's. Wouldn't you rather something interesting?"

"Sook, I'd rather anything that doesn't get you flattened by the psycho produce crates."

"Well I think I'm going to go with craisins." Sookie grabbed a wooden spoon and went to the stove. "So, speaking of love-day, what've you and Rory got planned?"

Lorelei grinned and went for the coffee pot. "Well. We ordered half of Doose's market-"

"The festive half."

"Exactly. Except that I still haven't picked it up."

"Why not?"

"Oh you know, Taylor's holding it for me because I had to get up so early I came in my bathrobe."

"Please tell me you didn't wear your sparkly one."

"Oh my gosh!"

"What?"

"What happened to the time-honored tradition of getting skunk-drunk on New Year's?"

"Okay, new topic. So you bought half of Doose's in your bathrobe."

"Yes, and we're going to rent the best Valentine's movies of all time and _Rain Man_ and make our own marshmallow Peeps, and swear we'll never have a falling out over anything again."

"So you're still sore over the termites and the Emily?"

"I shouldn't have blown up at her."

"You and your mom are cut from very different cloth."

"Yeah. She's spotless linen and I'm that bleached, battered denim that they charge you fifty dollars to wear once."

"I always thought of you as that stretchy cotton-poly-spandex blend stuff."

"Hold on a moment while I decide how I feel about that."

"Emily shouldn't have interfered either."

"I know that, but…doesn't mean that I want to ruin what her and Rory have. Which is basically what I wanted me and my mom to have."

"Aw, hon."

"Yeah, well. We got over it. Rory apologized, I apologized and I guess we put it behind us. But I guess I'm looking forward to having things…normal. I like my routine, I like my life. I don't like alterations, you know? I must be the girl Saliva was talking about when he said 'you're never gonna change'."

"Traditions are good."

"I'm in sugar-high agreement with that."

"Lorelei!" Michel strode into the kitchen with a bad attitude in his wake.

Lorelei turned. "Michel?"

"Lorelei-"

"Michel." Michel made an expression like someone had sprayed him in the face with Lemon Pledge. "Sorry," Lorelei added, "you were ejaculating?"

"Rory is behind the desk- _touching_ things." Lorelei glanced at Sookie. "Touching. Things!" Lorelei shrugged. "Behind the desk!"

"Rory behind the desk with the candlestick, got it."

"Lorelei!"

"Okay, clearly not a Clue fan."

"Just- make her stop or I will call management."

"I'm management, Michel."

"Then I'll call you dirty names."

Sookie giggled. "Call you, I get it. Good one, Michel."

Michel made a sound like someone had slipped an ice cube down his back. He stamped his foot and left. "Poor Michel," Lorelei said.

"Valentine's must be no fun when you eat only sugar-free chocolate in Gandhi-sized amounts."

Lorelei sighed. "Well I guess I should see what Mrs. Peacock is up to."

- - - - -

True to Michel's disgruntled report, Rory was poking around behind the desk, scrambling from shelf to shelf and checking behind boxes of envelopes and stacks of notebooks. "Hey, hon, what's up?"

Rory straightened. "Purse."

"Purse?"

"I was looking for your purse."

"You're seriously trying to gank the belongings of your possible kidney transplant?"

"You are aware that gank has a slightly different meaning now."

Lorelei wrinkled her nose. "No I didn't. I hate that. So why the mad scramble if you're not trying to kipe mama's wallet?"

"I wanted to know if you'd gotten your purse yet."

"Gotten it?"

"From the house."

"Why?"

Rory fidgeted. "I was umn…wondering if you'd picked up our stuff from Doose's."

Lorelei grinned. "How do you know I didn't _buy_ it this morning?"

"All that junk for twenty bucks?"

"Huh. Well no since you asked, it's still there."

Rory folded her arms and took a deep breath. "Dean came to school today. I guess Chilton's not the only school letting out early."

"Well sure, we can't all be like Jim Carrey."

"And he had an idea."

Lorelei shifted to her other foot. "An idea."

"About Valentine's Day."

"Dean had an idea about Valentine's Day."

"And me."

"You had an idea about Valentine's Day?"

"No, Dean had an idea about Valentine's Day and me." Rory sighed, reaching behind her head to tighten her ponytail. "Dean got tickets to a dance in Hartford. For tonight. And he was thinking…" Lorelei's expression seemed frozen onto her face while her mind worked. Rory instantly switched gears. "But I told him that we had plans, so-"

"So you came by to tell me that Dean invited you to a dance and you turned him down?"

"Yeah."

"Huh."

"Well I didn't really turn him down, I said that I'd have to- you know, I'd have to ask you." Rory hastened to add, "But we have plans, so I'll just…call him."

Lorelei muscled up a mostly convincing smile. "No, I think you should go."

"What?"

"Yeah, I think it'd be fun. And- well, this'll be your first ever romantic Valentine's Day, could be really great."

"It's just a dance."

"Remember what a great time you guys had at your formal? Except for falling asleep in the middle of cynical prose of Dorothy Parker, you had a great time."

"Yeah…"

"Did Dean get the tickets already?" Rory nodded. "Which was really sweet, by the way."

The first hint of a guilty smile showed on Rory's face. "It was, wasn't it."

Lorelei smiled brightly. "Well alright then."

"But what about Lea Thompson and Tom Cruise?"

"Ah, we'll catch them next year."

"You're really, really sure about this."

"Honey." Lorelei reached over and grabbed Rory's sweater sleeve. "Do you want to go with Dean?"

Rory bit back a smile. "I do."

"Then I'm _positive_ about this."

"Thanks Mom." Rory jumped up on her tip-toes and gave Lorelei's cheek a kiss. "I'm going to run home and call Dean and pick out a dress."

"Only if it's something Winona Ryder wouldn't be caught dead in."

"See ya!" Lorelei watched her run out the door and smiled. When the door swung shut with a benign _click_, the smile faded into something more distant.

Sookie came out of the kitchen moments later. "Okay, so the soups are all done, salads only need to be tossed and served and once the rolls and that last batch of Risoto is done, we are out of here for our Valentine's night!" Sookie circled the counter at that point and looked at Lorelei. "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. So what do you and Jackson have going on."

"He won't say," Sookie glowed, "But I think we're going out of town for a certain dinner at a certain restaurant that I mentioned like- six million times that I like."

"Aw, way-to-go loverboy."

"Yeah. So what did Rory need?"

"Oh just…had a question for me."

- - - - -


	3. Three

- - - - -

The phone kept ringing and ringing and Rory's fingertips were beginning to tingle with excitement. Finally, there was a click.

"Hello?"

"Dean?"

"Yeah, hey!" His anticipation was so obvious it made her smile. "So…did you umn…were you- how are you?"

"I guess Lea Thompson can wait another year."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well- at least she'll have Eric Stoltz to keep her company."

"Except that Eric Stoltz is with Mary Stuart Masterson."

"Right. She'll have to settle for Tom Cruise."

"You and _All The Right Moves_. You really want to dance, don't you?"

She heard him laugh. "Listen…it's cool, right? I mean your mom…I know how she feels about your guys' traditions. I don't want to mess anything up."

"She's good, Dean. And…I'm really excited, I mean, doing something new for once? It's really…"

"Exciting."

"Yeah."

"Yeah." He laughed again. "Okay! Well I will pick you up in like…uh, an hour? Sound good?"

"Sounds spectacular."

"See you, beautiful."

- - - - -

Jess went to one of the tables by the window and slapped a plate down. The man sitting a table away raised his eyebrows. "Uh, young man?" Jess turned. "Is that my BLT?"

"Your greasy spoon sandwich with extra gray poupon, just what the doctor ordered."

"Oh alright, well I decided to move tables." Jess stared. "I was over at that table," the man clarified, "but the sun was shining on me, so I…" Jess turned to walk away. "Young man!"

"You addressing me?" He asked coldly, turning again.

"Is it that much trouble to move my plate over here?"

"Yes."

The man's eyes widened in disbelief. "I should report you to management."

"Fine." Jess turned and shouted, "Uncle Luke! Someone has a complaint for the powers that be."

"What was that?" Luke came out of the kitchen in time to see a disgruntled customer making a big show of snatching his plate from an empty table and Jess meandering between tables with a second order. "Jess?"

Jess ignored him. "Burger, extra dills and jojos."

"I didn't ask for extra dills."

"Pickles, Kirk."

Kirk adjusted his pink baseball cap and squinted at the plate. "Extra pickles?"

"Yes."

"I didn't ask for extra pickles."

Jess plopped the plate in front of Kirk anyway. "It's your lucky day; extra don't-give-a-rip is free of charge."

"Jess!"

Jess breezed over to the counter and reached for the next order but Luke pulled it back. "Trying to work here."

"Not like that you're not."

"Fine." Jess untied his apron and headed around the counter.

"Where are you going?" Luke demanded.

"I'm going home, or whatever you call that disaster that looks like the inside of Darwin's head."

"Jess!" But Jess ran around the corner and Luke heard his footsteps tromping upstairs. Luke took off after him.

When he got to the apartment, Jess was already sacked out on the couch with a magazine. "Get downstairs, right now. We made a deal you were going to work."

"You wouldn't let me serve the customers."

"Cause you're acting like a punk."

"Excuse me, Mr. Joy and Happiness, I didn't realize a Pollyanna smile was required for this oh-so-wonderful job." Luke snatched the magazine out from between his hands. "Watch it!"

"Jess, you amaze me."

"Thanks. Give it back."

"Today's Valentine's Day."

"Can I please have my property back?"

"This is because you don't have a date today, isn't it."

"Oh no, Dr. Phil Danes found me out."

"That's it, isn't it? Dean's got Rory and you've got nothing."

"I'm trying to figure out why the 80's are coming back, do you mind?" Jess made another grab for the magazine, but Luke jerked it out of his reach.

"Well that's tough, Jess, and I get that you're angry."

"Quit shrinking me."

"And you can be a monster, and you can be a jerk and you can sulk around town and hope Dean shows up so can get some free-throws in at his face, good luck to ya by the way cause the guy could step on you without noticing."

"Noted."

"But you cannot take out your adolescent angst on my customers, and if you keep it up, there will be consequences."

"Then I better go don my Chef Boyardee getup, huh." Jess got out of the sofa and shouldered past Luke.

Luke heard him heading for the door and turned, shouting at his back, "You know you couldn't be nice if you _tried_."

"Whatever."

- - - - -

Lane opened the glass door to Luke's without even noticing. She managed to stand in the doorway for several moments before remembering where she was, and finally went to a sunny table by the window. She slipped her coat off onto the back of her chair and held her fingers under the sunlight to thaw.

"Take your order." Lane turned and saw Jess standing stoically next to her chair with a notepad on which his eyes were determinedly set.

"Hey Jess."

Jess glanced at her and sighed. "You going to order or should I go comb my beard?"

Lane gave him a look. "Okay, so much for small town neighbor stuff."

"I'm sorry, have we been magically teleported to Mayberry?"

"No."

"Has Dr. Who sent us back in time fifty years?"

Lane's scowl deepened. "No."

"Didn't think so."

"Okay fine, just coffee please."

"Wow, coffee. This job is so worth it for all the challenges it presents."

"Would it make you feel better if I ordered fries?"

Jess crossed his arms. "It might."

"Well tough, I don't want fries, so deal," Lane snapped and Jess finally went without comment.

She sat, fuming while he was gone, her mother's words echoing in the back of hear head like a monotonous song with incoherent lyrics. This had to be the all-time stinkiest Valentine's Day ever. Like it wasn't bad enough to not have a boyfriend, now she didn't even have plans for herself. And it was a holiday! A half-day of school, it was supposed to be fun.

It was Jess' misfortune that he showed up in the middle of this last, depressing thought. "Your complicated cup of Joe," he said, clunking it down in front of her. "Can I get you a napkin?"

Lane whirled in her seat. "If you hate this job so much, why don't you do us a favor and join the circus?"

"Ouch," Jess replied sardonically.

"You're the kind of person who makes people _want_ to listen to the Bee Gees. On purpose! Cause they're annoying like you, they're Beach-Boy-wannabes like you, but at least they're half-decent guys."

"Oh so now I'm Maurice?"

"No you're Robin- cause you look the same," Lane retorted.

"Minus the coke-bottles."

"You know something Jess, you couldn't be nice if you tried."

Jess looked like he was going to respond, but the door of the diner swung and a deflated-looking Lorelei came in, removing her hat and scarf. Lane jumped up from the table. "Lorelei?"

Lorelei turned. "Lane, hey!"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, have a seat."

"Your coffee," Jess reminded her, but she ignored him and took a seat at one of the center tables across from Lorelei.

"So what's up?"

Lane folded her hands on the table. "I don't have a boyfriend. I can't have a boyfriend, so I always find something to do just me. And the BWR is playing a romance tonight."

"_Say Anything_, I saw that! A classic. You gonna go?"

"That's the thing…my mom won't let me."

"Aw I'm sorry, hon."

"I mean, I can't even swing a movie, by myself, at an earthly hour, home in time for curfew. Basically? Worst Valentine's ever."

"Now, it doesn't have to be. I mean, you can fight for it, Lane, you can go to your mom, tell her that you have your traditions, and you have your plans and it's supposed to be fun, you know? And this is important to you, and it hurts to see her not being able to accept how much that means to you."

Lane sighed. "You wouldn't do that, though, would you."

Lorelei gave her a long look and nodded. "No. No I sure wouldn't."

"Maybe it's good to make new traditions, right? I mean, you never know what you're missing out on till you give it a shot. And maybe it's best to figure it out now, rather than later when you're completely set in your ways. Right?"

"Right."

"Right."

"Lane?" Lorelei squinted at her. "You…don't really think that, do you."

Lane sighed unhappily and plucked at her scarf. "No."

Luke came to their table and held a pot and two mugs aloft. "Coffee?"

"Please and thank you," Lorelei replied.

"And for the record," Luke added as he filled the mugs, "I think you're both right."

"He has super-hearing."

Lane tried to smile. "A regular Clark Kent."

"So tell us, Clark, why are we both right?"

"Because, I think traditions are good and you should stick by them, but I also think you have to branch out sometimes and do new things. I mean- that's how traditions get made anyway."

"Yeah." Lorelei replied noncommittally.

"Yeah." Lane echoed, not looking up.

"Okay, forget the words of wisdom. Enjoy your sweetened death in a glass."

"Thanks," Lorelei said hollowly as he walked away. Then, after a pause, "Maybe he's right."

"About which part?"

"About the whole try new things part."

"Oh." Lane's face fell. "Right." She took a drink. "Or maybe he's right about both parts."

"Yeah. Maybe so." Lorelei took a sip of her coffee as well.

- - - - -

Rory dashed around her room with a strange adrenaline in her arms and legs. She stuffed an extra sweater, an extra shirt and a Ziploc of the essentials for making ones hair look fancy; bobby pins, burettes and a dozen elastics. Lorelei came in quietly and watched her rush around.

"Where's the fire?"

"I think I've got everything." Rory counted the cash in her wallet and stuffed it in the bag as well.

"Jack Kerouac didn't need this much stuff."

"I'm just preparing for every eventuality."

"And I thought keeping you from being a girl scout would prevent this problem."

"I'm kind of nervous."

Lorelei smiled. "It's just Dean."

"I know, but it's my first romantic Valentine's Day, you know? It's one of those experiences." Rory was radiant with excitement.

Lorelei smiled. "Yeah."

"You sure you're okay." Rory's face instantly transformed. "I mean…we had plans and- oh no! The- the groceries, Taylor-"

"He stopped holding them at noon, hon, don't worry."

"Oh good." Rory looked like she was about to say something else, but there was a distant honk outside and she immediately forgot whatever it was. "That's him!"

"Well? Get lost, gorgeous."

Rory snatched her bag off the bed and ran to Lorelei giving her a long kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Mom."

"Have a great time, make sure you mock Pearl Jam for me."

"Be nice."

"If you put Jason Wade and Eddie Vedder in a room together, Jason would beat Eddie up. Instantly, like there would actually be no punches thrown."

"Love you."

Lorelei grinned. "I know, that's why you put up with me." Rory ran past and through the kitchen. Lorelei heard the front door open. "Bring me back a meatball!"

"Yeah, yeah." The door clicked shut.

Lorelei watched through the window as Dean climbed out and went around to get Rory's door. They were talking animatedly and Dean was glowing like a 60 watt. Rory climbed in, Dean shut the door and ran to his side, jumping into the driver's seat and starting the engine. They pulled back, turned and disappeared down the driveway. Lorelei slid away from the window, tapping one fingernail on the sill as her thoughts went elsewhere.

Then she took a deep breath and went to the kitchen, grabbing the phone somewhat dubiously off the table and dialing from memory. "Hey, Al, Lorelei. Hi. Are you still running your Thai buffet?…Well, you said you might discontinue it…Yes. I totally agree, Mr. Francis had it coming and nobody likes a lawsuit…Uh-huh. Well if you're still doing it- you are! Well good. I was going to come by and get a menu…Yes, for Thai food, why do you think I totally kissed up about the whole Francis thing?…No, I haven't been possessed…No. Thank you. Pleasure being patronized by you, Al, Emily Rose signing out." Lorelei punched the end button like it had personally caused this unhappy turn of events.

She stayed in the silent kitchen for awhile, chewing on the phone's antenna and thinking.

- - - - -


	4. Four

- - - - -

"I'm telling you, we're living in a _Fast and Furious_ generation and it's putting people in wheelchairs."

"Rory you have to let it go."

"He swerved!"

"He signaled."

"We have skid marks with our names on them. Mustang drivers are the worst."

"That's not _Fast and Furious_, that's _Gone in Sixty Seconds_."

"Is not."

"Rory. I'm a guy, I know cars. I built you a car."

"Oh, that was you. I'm totally going to have to explain the flowering e-card I sent Emilio Estevez." She kissed him. "So _Gone in Sixty Seconds_, huh?"

"Yep."

"Well when in doubt, blame Nicolas Cage."

"That philosophy was always one of my favorites, up there with don't mix milk and orange juice."

"You are a wise specimen. So." She glanced up the line leading to the sign-in desk and sighed. "I say we bribe our way up the line."

"Can't wait even five minutes?"

"Life is short, my friend."

"And your extreme impatience is flattering." He glanced away at his hands for a moment. "Thanks again. For coming, I know you and your mom had plans."

"Yeah. But we can do it next year, and…I really wanted to go."

"Good. I'm glad. It's just for me, this holiday…it's not much of a holiday, you know? I mean, my parents usually do something, but it's never meant a lot to me personally. It mostly means watching my sister for the evening."

"Not a Necco fan?"

"Not so much."

"I'm honored."

"So not to…examine the gift horse's molars or anything. But you sure you're not disappointed?"

Rory looked at him for a long time, a strange, hesitant expression on her face. Then she looked away and shook her head. "Not even a little. This was a really romantic idea, Dean, and I want it to be perfect."

"Good, that makes two of us."

They finally reached the front desk and a tired-looking lady in tiny glasses looked up. "Name?"

"Dean Forester."

"And your date?" She smiled briefly at Rory.

"Rory Gilmore."

She traced the lines on her notebook. "Alright, here you are. Do you have your tickets?" Dean handed them to her and she read them, tore them, and handed them back. "Okay, Mr. Forester, have you been to one of these before?"

"No, first time for both of us."

"Okay, well every participant in the event has a room where they can go, get dressed-" she glanced at Rory and smiled again, "primp, all that good stuff."

"Well I'm a huge a fan of primp," Rory replied. "Me and Mary Kay."

"You and Miss Gilmore's room is B26. It's down that hall, up the stairs and to the left. Have a great time."

"Thanks." Dean grabbed Rory's backpack before she could reach for it and shouldered it. "After you."

"Why thank you, I'll have my grapes and palm branches delivered please."

"You're incorrigible."

"It's a gift."

- - - - -

"Jess." Jess' back was to Luke and he seemed preoccupied with absolutely nothing by the front window. "Jess?" Dead silence. "I was thinking I'd close up or something, but if that doesn't fit into your busy schedule of window-steaming, I'll understand."

Jess turned then, taking one ear-bud out of his ear as he did. "You talking to me?"

"Attempting."

"Sorry, your voice just isn't quite as interesting as Matchbox Twenty's."

"Turn that stupid thing off."

"You're gonna hurt Rob's feelings."

"Now."

"Geeze!" Jess turned it off and tossed the ear-buds around his neck.

"I want you to put all the chairs up on tables and sweep the place; I'm closing early today since everyone seems to have holiday plans anyway."

"Sorry. Gotta save up my strength for tomorrow. Have all that great learning to get to. No wait- all that great learning to which I should get. I think that's right."

Luke held up the broom. "Manual labor makes the mind work."

"So does coffee."

Luke looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah. You want to do this, that's fine, I don't have time to talk you into it. Just get out of here."

Jess got an odd look on his face, the last traces of his smirk disappearing. "You throwing me on the street, Uncle Luke?"

"You can come back as soon as you're ready to make good our deal that you help out around here and I pay you. So long as you don't help, you don't get paid. At least that way it's your problem, not _my_ problem. I figure you'll see the error of your ways next time you want a Snickers bar."

"I don't like peanuts."

"Then maybe tomorrow I'll get up early, jump-start my blood sugar and shove this entire broom down your throat. Either way, I don't have to deal with you right now because I don't have the energy." Luke threw the broom down behind the counter where it clattered loudly.

Jess nodded. "Well at least you have a plan. And hey, if this whole the-Grinch-who-owned-a-diner thing doesn't work out, at least you can get a job with Jackie Chan where shoving brooms down peoples' throats is commonplace."

"Get out, Jess."

"Already gone." Jess slammed the door behind him and Luke stood in his empty diner for a few moments. He was about to reach for the broom when the phone rang. He lifted the receiver. "Hey, this is Luke."

"Luke?"

"Lorelei? What's wrong?"

- - - - -

Luke ran into the video store still pulling his coat on. "Lorelei?"

"Over here! SciFi!"

Luke went to the correct row and spotted Lorelei, standing with two VHS tapes already under her arm, holding a third tape and a DVD her two hands. Luke put his arms out in exasperation. "You said it was an emergency."

Lorelei smiled at him. "It is."

"I don't see blood or bruises. What's so urgent-" he glanced at the shelf, "-besides the fact that you're in the same isle as the _A.I._ DVD."

Lorelei continued to grin. "I'm doing something else for Valentine's."

"What?"

"Dean took Rory on a romantic getaway and I'm creating a new Valentine's Day tradition."

Luke softened a little. "Oh, okay. Rory and Dean, huh?"

"And I'm taking your advice and coming up with some new ideas."

"So what's the emergency?"

"Ah." Lorelei handed him the two tapes from under her arm.

Luke read the titles aloud. "_12 Angry Men _and _Saving Private Ryan_."

"The two _least_ romantic videos in Connecticut."

"So what do you have there?"

"Well, I was going to get _The Edge_ cause, let's face it, is there a not only less romantic but less appealing movie north of the equator? I say no. But then I realized that though there is technically a relationship in _Ghostbusters_, Sigourney's never convincing enough as a romantic interest, so it's like a romantic comedy with no romance. And I was so proud of myself for figuring that out, now I can't decide."

"So…"

"So it's get mauled by a bear or get mauled by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. I'm at a loss."

"Why don't you just watch the ones you and Rory were going to get?"

"Because, I'm trying to do something different."

"But the whole point of Valentine's- not _mine_ of course, but most peoples' -is to watch romance. It's like the one holiday where you don't have to feel guilty about your closet fascination with the most clichéd pretty-boys in Hollywood."

"Hey, I resent that, I was never a Brad Pitt person. He's needy-looking."

"Shaun Cassidy?"

"Shut up." She snatched her VHS's back. "You're the one who told me to try something new."

"It was an idea- and besides, I thought you were giving Lane advice."

"I was."

"Well, okay, that doesn't mean _you_ have to make a one-eighty on your holiday, you know."

"No, I want to."

"You sure?"

Lorelei was looking flustered. "Does the word 'absolutely' do it for you?"

"I just…I don't want you to think I was bullying you into something you didn't want to do."

"You weren't, Luke, really. This is for me."

"Good." He hit one of the tapes. "Get that one. Bill Murray is way funnier than Anthony Hopkins."

"Mauled by the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man it is." Lorelei winced. "Sorry to call you away from the diner."

"It's okay, I was just having a discussion with Jess."

"Bad?"

"I threatened to shove the broom down his throat."

She raised her eyebrows and returned _The Edge_ to its shelf. "Sorry for interrupting your family bonding time, then."

"Don't worry about it."

"If you want, you could come with me to Doose's." She pulled a yellow sticky from her pocket. "I have a brand-new shopping list."

"Everything _not_ red, white and pink?"

"Only purple and blue."

"Good luck with that."

"Yeah, but this way I can get that gross candy where you coat a stick of sugar in spit and dip it in sour stuff and eat it."

"I bet your dentist loves that."

Lorelei collect up her videos and headed for the counter. "I wouldn't know, he's stopped returning my calls."

"Imagine."

"Very mysterious. In times like these I wish Stars Hollow had a detective. Our very own David Addison just for times like these."

"You need help."

"By George, he's got it."

- - - - -

"It looks dirty."

"It's not dirty, it's old. Old is good, old things very valuable."

"But it looks filthy."

"Not filthy, dirty."

"And dirty's good?"

"Dirty's very good, dirty means old."

"And old is good?"

Lane could tell her mother was reaching the end of her very short tether to patience. She saw her chance and dove in, coming to stand next to the customer. "Excuse me, sir?" She pointed at the mantel clock the two were examining. "Are you planning to get that?"

"I don't know, I was thinking about it."

"I see. Because I've actually my eye on it for awhile and I was thinking I'd make my move."

"Honey, you're going to have to wait till I've made up my mind," he replied dryly.

"No I don't, not if I make up my mind first. First come first serve, isn't that right Mrs. Kim?" her mother gave her a strange look then nodded emphatically at the man.

"If you can't decide, I'll let this young lady buy it."

"Fine."

"Fine?" Lane echoed.

"Fine, if you want it, take it, it's dirty anyway."

"Dirty's good," Lane told him sternly. "Dirty means old, and what's the point of buying antiques if it's not sufficiently old? I'm betting this is a very valuable clock judging by how…beautifully antiqueish it looks."

"Yes it is," Mrs. Lane agreed.

"Right, so-" Lane made a grab for the clock but the man snatched it off the mantel.

"How much?"

"One hundred twenty-four ninety-nine," Mrs. Lane supplied serenely.

"Alright, I'll take it."

"We appreciate your business. I'll go get the certificate of authenticity for you."

Lane gave the man her most convincing 'que sura' expression and casually went out of the man's sight and followed her mother to the back room. "Hey, Mama?" Mrs. Kim was sorting through the filing cabinet and didn't look up. "You know that lady in the maroon scarf who left her sofa here?"

"Yes."

"Well, I tracked her down for you."

Mrs. Kim glanced up. "You did?"

"Yeah she's coming by to pick it up this afternoon."

"Really."

"Yep."

Mrs. Kim went back to the files. "Good. Thank you."

Lane beamed. "You're welcome."

"You lied to the customer," Mrs. Kim added abruptly.

"I didn't lie, Mama, I promise. If he refused to buy it, I would have bought it myself just like I said."

"Good," Mrs. Kim said again and silence ensued.

Finally, Lane swallowed her butterflies and spoke. "Mama, I've been extra helpful around the store today, and you know…you always say that if I can prove myself helpful and responsible that's when I get privileges, and only then. And that system always made a lot of sense to me."

"You can't go see the movie tonight."

Lane felt her stomach drop. "Oh." Silence again. "Is it about the whole- father letting his daughter date thing? Because, in the movie you know, it turns out-"

"Lane." Mrs. Kim finally gave Lane her full attention, closing the filing cabinet halfway. "I've heard about this movie around town. It's not the story, it's the parties and the kissing and the boys with cars." Mrs. Kim winced horribly like it was the worst imaginable thing to put 'boys' and 'cars' in the same sentence. "You can't see the movie. Now go finish your homework."

Lane watched her mother go back to work and nodded slowly, letting the icy cold of disappointment and acceptance sink in simultaneously. "It's okay, I've finished my homework."

"Well then, you can go have fun. Visit the library, maybe- ah!" Mrs. Kim pulled out a sheet of paper and nodded. "Here it is."

Lane had a strange look on her face. She stood up straight. "You know, I think I will go to the library. I'll see you later Mama."

"Wear a scarf, be back for dinner."

"I will." And Lane ran for the door, grabbing her coat on the way.

- - - - -


	5. Five

- - - - -

"_Have you been-" … "…about us, Rick."…"-turning into a total freak show."…"-after us! What do we do, Ki-"…"-a cold front moving in from the-"…"Love the skin you're in."_

"Hey, Rory, where do you want to have lunch?"

"_Own it today on DVD!"…_

"Cause I was thinking, I heard there's a place down the street that's really good, but there's nowhere to park so we'd have to walk."

"…_a lot of zeros behind-"…_

"So I thought, we could just eat here if you want, since they've got food. I don't know, in or out, either way's good with me. You have a preference?"

"_Call 1-800-77-"…_

"Rory?" Dean opened the bathroom door and leaned around, still adjusting his tie on which he'd been practicing.

Rory was sitting on the spongy sofa which sat in front of the television , a remote held loosely in one hand while the other twisted the end of her hair in endless circles. Dean left the bathroom, turning the light off and coming to sit on the coffee table, blocking her vision of the television. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Rory leaned around so she could see past him and hammered the up-channel button a few more times. "There's absolutely nothing on- how can there be like sixty channels and there's nothing sane on?"

"Well-"

"I think _Charmed_ is on three different channels- how can they play _Charmed_ on three channels? Isn't it bad enough it's on the WB?"

"Rory-" Dean took the remote from her and shut the TV off. "What's going on?"

Rory sank back into the couch. "Nothing."

"Sure."

"Nothing, Dean, nothing's going on." Pause. A very, very brief pause. "I'm just- I'm hungry. I think I need lunch. Is there anywhere to eat around here?"

Dean grinned. "Uh- I think I can figure something out."

- - - - -

Jess was sulking in the entryway. Luke had tracked him down and dragged him to the Gilmore's house because Lorelei, as Luke put it, 'needed a hand'. Jess had been sourly waiting for the supposed 'hand-giving', and Lorelei still hadn't made her mind up about what she needed. Luke's and Lorelei's voices could be heard from the living room but Jess refused to set foot in there until asked directly.

"Over."

"This way?"

"No the other way."

"That way."

"No, no the first way."

"Which way?"

"The way you mentioned."

"This way."

"No, the other way."

"This way?" A loud thud.

"Huh…"

"What now." Luke sounded like was holding his impatience at bay.

"Umn- do you think it's crowding the couch?"

"You could move the couch."

"Yeah?"

"I could move the couch."

"Would you mind?"

Luke adjusted the coffee table he'd been moving and called to the entryway, "Jess, get in here." Jess sulked into the living room. "Grab the other side of the couch."

Jess snatched it up and they tweaked it back and to the left. Lorelei stared at it for a moment. "Better."

"Better?" Luke said.

"Yeah."

"Good," Jess said and dropped his end. Luke jerked forward, catching the weight of the couch himself and letting his end down slowly, giving Jess a dirty look.

He straightened up and brushed his hands off. "Well, enjoy your new holiday."

"Yeah." Lorelei grinned. "I'm sure I will. I was- actually having this new idea, so…"

Luke's eyes widened in that 'ookay then' sort of way. "Good. Well. Jess, I think it's your bedtime."

"It's ten o'clock."

"Thanks Big Ben, off to the car."

"Do I at least get a nightlight?"

"Move it."

Lorelei watched Luke and Jess head for the entryway, still bickering. She rocked onto her heals, gave her new living room arrangement a doubtful glance, and chewed her thumbnail.

"Night, Lorelei," Luke was calling from the door. Lorelei ran to the entryway, still biting her nail.

"Uh- Luke? Hey, umn…my idea, the one- the one I had that I was telling you about?" Luke paused in the door. "Yeah umn- could maybe you and Jess help out? It'll be the last thing, I promise."

Luke sighed and came back in. "What is it."

"Well, I was thinking maybe I'd sleep in the living room tonight."

"The living room."

"Yeah, maybe I'll pull a girls'-night-out, minus the girls, you know? Popcorn, late-night television…"

"So you want me to make you popcorn."

"Actually I thought you could help me get all my bedding down here."

"Alright, sure. Jess?"

"What."

"Oh Luke? Actually, would umn…" Lorelei cleared her throat, speaking all in one breath. "Would you mind sending Jess to Doose's for Peeps? I mean, I know I'm making my own, new, glittery traditions and all that but I don't think I can wait till Easter for Peeps."

"Sure- Jess?"

"What?" Jess now sounded twice as irritated, if that was possible. Lorelei felt her smile grow unnaturally bright.

"Head over to Doose's and pick up a few boxes of those Marshmallow Peeps."

"Doose's is closed."

"Not yet it's not."

"Well, it will be soon-"

"Then I guess you should get going."

Jess scowled and took the pickup's keys from Luke's outstretched hand. Lorelei watched him slouch down the steps and climb into the rusty car's cab, then turned her attention back to Luke.

"Thanks," she said, wincing. "So- upstairs?"

- - - - -

Rory judged her reflection harshly the first couple times. She'd redone her makeup twice, and was horrified for the first ten minutes at her taste in dresses. But the general look about her was beginning to grow on her. It was…classy, almost.

"You almost ready?" She could tell from his voice that Dean was getting tired. Not impatient, she thought gratefully, but maybe a little sleepy.

"Almost."

"How'd the eyeliner work out for you?"

Rory reached down to straighten her nylons so they lay smoothly over her knees. "After the third go, I no longer look like Amy Lee."

"Thanks goodness for that."

She straightened up and gave herself one last look. It was…okay. It was good enough anyway. Why did she feel so awkward right now?

"So…you set?"

"Coming out." Rory turned the doorknob, took a deep breath and came out of the bathroom. Dean was standing by the window, hands in the pockets of his dress pants. He turned around, his expression unreadable at first. Then Rory let herself believe it was pleasant astonishment.

As if to prove her theory, Dean's hands slid out of his pockets and his mouth opened just slightly. Rory felt her cheeks warm. "You've seen this on me before, you know."

"You look amazing," he said matter-of-factly.

Rory beamed. "Even without the Jovani?"

"I've lost all faith in Matthew McConaughey's taste."

"Good that you got that out of the way."

"Really, Rory, you look…perfect."

"Perfect's good." She crossed the room and gave him a kiss, still glowing. "I can work with perfect. So you ready?"

"I guess so."

"Where's your tie?"

"Oh, over there with my coat."

"You have to wear it, Dean."

"If you'll tie it for me, I'll wear it."

"Deal."

Rory went to the bed and collected the burgundy tie. "Is this silk?" She wrinkled her nose in pleased teasing.

"Yeah, my dad's."

"Well McConaughey's a lost cause, but Mr. Forester has taste-" Rory turned to see Dean holding a small, rectangle-shaped gift wrapped in pink with a red ribbon tied around it. The tie slipped back onto the bed. "What's that?"

"Happy Valentine's Day."

"Oh…Dean, I didn't even think of gifts."

"The girl doesn't have to bring a gift, Rory, it's a guy thing." He shook the present. "Take it." She did. "I got Clara's help with the wrapping. I guess I couldn't stomach getting in line for pink paper."

Rory untied the ribbon carefully and started tearing the rosy paper away. She stared down at the gift in her hands. "_Some Kind of Wonderful_," she said blankly. "Dean-"

"I know you guys don't own it, cause you're always renting it. And listen- I mean, this room has a TV, maybe if the snobs in fancy clothes downstairs get boring, we can come up here and watch it. I thought we could keep one of the Gilmore traditions intact."

"Oh…"

"You like it?"

"I…it's-"

"You don't _have_ to like it you know," he said. He sounded amused.

Rory paused, swallowed, and smiled. "I love it, it…it's great, Dean. Thanks."

- - - - -

"Lane?" Lane gently shut the door behind her and went to the kitchen.

"It's me, Mama."

"Where were you," Mrs. Kim demanded, "We are having my flax seed muffins with unsweetened cranberry jam."

"I was at the library."

"Good." Mrs. Kim finished setting the plates on the table and went for napkins. While her back was turned, Lane reached into her coat's inner pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper, unfolding it carefully. When her mother turned back around, she was holding it out. "What is that."

"It's for you." Mrs. Kim took it and Lane took a deep breath. "It's a printout from a website called Pre-View. It reviews movies and breaks down all the potentially objectionable material so parents can look over them before they allow their kids to see them."

Mrs. Kim's eyes widened as she took in the content of the page. "This is horrible! _We see Lloyd and Diane in the backseat of her car-_"

"But the point of it- Mama?" Mrs. Kim tore her horrified eyes from the page to look at Lane. "The point of that is so I can know when a bad scene is coming up and not look."

Mrs. Kim shook the paper at her. "This is an appalling movie."

"No, just the stuff on that sheet- that's the appalling stuff and that's the stuff I won't watch. See, this way I can see the good things about the movie and not watch the bad things. And, as an added bonus, it teaches me discretion and self-control."

Mrs. Kim gave her a suspicious look, then read down the page again. "And this is all the disgusting scenes right here?"

"Every one of them."

She gave her daughter a sympathetic look. "You're sure you're up to this sort of difficulty?"

Lane nodded seriously. "I would like the opportunity to try."

Mrs. Kim thought for a moment, then handed the sheet of paper back. "Alright."

"Really?" Lane clutched the paper and vibrated on the spot. "Thank you, Mama!"

"But you are going alone."

The smile vanished into the picture of solemn sincerity. "Absolutely."

"Good. Have fun."

- - - - -

Dean and Rory surveyed the dance floor and its great canopy of tulle, festive streamers, balloons and faux roses under which the many well-dressed couples were spinning. Rory readjusted the lacy strap of her coming out dress. She'd stripped most of the petticoats out of it and, with Lorelei's help, edited it into a much slimmer dress. When she'd chosen it from the back of her closet, she'd thought it was the perfect choice. Getting dressed in the bathroom, she'd had to re-convince herself of that. Now, watching all the students in their just-for-this-occasion ball gowns and prom dresses, she felt strangely hodge-podge and last minute.

Dean glanced down at her as she straightened the bodice so it lay flat over her stomach. "Rory." He grabbed her hand as it made a dive for the skirt, attempting to adjust that as well. "You look fine."

"Fine?" Rory gave him an incredulous look.

"Well I already said 'perfect'," Dean defended, smiling. "Want some punch?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, be back." He kissed her cheek and went off to the refreshment table across the room. Rory felt afraid to move, memories of stitching the shortened skirt back into place skipping through her head like a sloppy montage. She never was good at sewing- Lorelei shouldn't have let her help. What if she stepped on her train and it snagged? What a _Parent Trap_ event that would be.

"Excuse me?"

"Huh?" Rory turned to see a pretty blonde in a maroon satin dress leaning on the arm of her suit-and-tie escort. "Oh, sorry," She moved to the side so they could get in the door.

"Thanks." The girl smiled and the two of them swept past. Rory caught the scent of some very strong lavender body-spray. Perfume. She hadn't even thought of perfume.

She wandered towards the dance floor after awhile, watching people spin in circles in front of the great stage where Pearl Jam was hammering out a tidy love song. After awhile, she finally felt someone coming up next to her. She turned, expecting to see Dean, but it was a women Rory didn't recognize. Her dark hair was piled strategically up on her head with little curls hanging down by her ears, reminding Rory of long, dangly earrings.

"Excuse me, name?"

"Rory Gilmore," Rory said automatically, wondering only afterwards why it mattered.

The lady read over her clipboard. "Are you here alone?" she asked distractedly.

"No my boyfriend's here."

"I don't have a Rory Gilmore on this list," she said, sounding distressed.

"Well, I think the tickets are under my boyfriend's name, he bought them."

"Boyfriend's name?"

"Yeah."

She looked up. "No, what's his name."

"Oh sorry, Dean."

"Dean what?"

Rory felt her face flush. Why was she so off-beat tonight? "Dean Gilmore. I mean, no sorry, Forester."

"Dean what?"

"Forester, Dean Forester."

"Hey, what's going on?" Dean came up behind Rory, a punch glass in each hand. The lady was beginning to look frazzled and she hugged her clipboard to herself in a huff.

"Are you this young lady's escort?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Name?"

"Dean Forester, I reserved our table a week ago."

"Forester, here it is." She made a mark on the clipboard. "Your table will be twenty-three, it's to the back and left."

"Sounds good."

"The tables will be ready in about an hour." She turned and marched away.

"Pleasant person," Dean said sarcastically, and handed Rory a punch glass. "So what do you think of the band?"

Rory took the punch and sipped it lightly. She didn't feel thirsty all of a sudden. "Eddie's no Jason. My mom will be thrilled."

"I don't think it was very kind of Mr. and Mrs. Vedder to name their son Eddie." Rory laughed a little and sipped some more punch. It was really sweet. "So," Dean said eventually.

"So what?"

"So…you wanna dance?"

Rory felt her glow coming back. "Yeah?"

"It's Valentine's Day, you have to dance."

"No dispute here." She quickly drained her punch (okay, it wasn't _that_ sweet) and set her cup down on the nearest table. He set his down as well and held out a hand.

Five steps later they were standing on the dance floor. Rory felt her feet swaying in time with his and she could feel Pearl Jam's drums in the floor much better than on the outskirts of it. The music got louder as they eased closer to the stage, Dean pausing to let her spin out and back in a few times.

Finally, the music slowed and they began a ballad whose opening riff sounded vaguely familiar. "Rory?" Rory lifted her head off Dean's shoulder and looked at him. "I don't want to be all nosy, and you know, tell me to butt out of it if you want."

"What's up?"

"It's just, something's been sort of bothering you. And if you want to tell me about it…I mean- you can. That's all." He cleared his throat.

Rory sighed and stared up at the flamboyant ceiling. "This is a really amazing."

Dean looked up too. "Yeah."

She looked down at him as he continued to watch the flowers and streamers spin above them. "It's not a big deal, Dean, really." He turned his eyes back on her. "But thanks."

And then Eddie Vedder started singing.

"_Wise men say, only fools rush in._" Rory stopped dancing and stared up at the stage.

"Rory?"

Rory twitched, eyes jumping from Dean to the stage. "Uh-"

"_But I can't help falling in lo-ove with you…_"

"What's the matter?"

"I have to go."

"What?"

"I just- I'm going to the restroom, I'll be right back." Rory let go of his hand and ran from the dance floor like a regular Cinderella. Dean stood in the center and watched in silent bewilderment, not even noticing the people who stared at him, standing alone while the Elvis classic played.

- - - - -


	6. Six

- - - - -

Lorelei fluffed the four feather pillows splayed out on the couch and ruffled the down comforter. She stood back and stared. "I think it's almost done."

"Almost," Jess replied blandly.

"It's just- do you think you could move the TV for me?"

"Jess, grab the back, I'll grab the front."

"Just call me U-Haul."

Luke ignored him and started lifting the TV while Jess went around the back of it. They hauled it forward, backward, to the left, to the right, and finally set it down where it had been in the first place.

"So, is that it?" Luke asked.

"Well the food will be here soon," Lorelei replied.

"Right." Luke nodded as though this information were at all relevant. "Well we'll get going then."

"Hey, could you help me get the dishes?"

"Dishes?"

"Yeah, I thought paper plates and cups is such a Rory and me thing-"

"Sure, yeah, makes sense. Jess-"

"What."

Luke gave him a stern look. "Would you mind?"

"And Luke, maybe while he's doing that you could-"

"Geeze!" Luke and Lorelei looked at him. "Does it occur to you some of us have a life outside of being your personal feng shui consultant?"

"Jess…" Luke said warningly, but Jess barreled on.

"Hey, you want to hang on this lunatic hand-and-foot, you go ahead. But I haven't had ten minutes to myself since we came over here."

"Well excuse me for taking away from your brain cell damage time."

"We've been here for _hours_. Let me guess." He turned to Lorelei. "Next we can help arrange the food when it gets here. Maybe we can stay for a few minutes and watch the first ten minutes of your unromantic, R-rated guy flick with you."

"Shut up, Jess," Luke warned, glancing at Lorelei who's face had frozen into a wide-eyed, guilty stare.

"I'm not putting up with this." He scowled at Lorelei. "Rory's not coming home, so get over it and let me go home and do something with what's left of my vacation."

"That's it, Jess, out!"

"Finally."

The front door slammed, and Lorelei could hear them yelling outside. She felt her chest begin to ache.

- - - - -

Luke shoved Jess violently in the back, causing him to stumble a few steps. "What's the matter with you?!"

"She's a basket case!"

"You will go apologize-"

He threw his arm in the direction of the house. "You think this is normal? She rented _Ghostbusters_, Luke, open your eyes!"

"So what? So what if she's depressed Rory's not home for this. The two of you should start a chat group."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Fine, be in denial. But you've been ugly ever since Dean invited Rory to that dance tonight."

"Can I go now?"

"You know, you can hate me, you can hate Dean, but you take it out on Lorelei like that ever again-"

"Man, it must be nice having your own personal shiny knight."

"Jess, I'm not going to let you come into my town and screw up my life or the lives of anybody I care about." Luke pointed a finger at him slowly, his voice dropping. "I'll send you back to your mom if I have to, but you'll never speak that way to Lorelei again."

Jess watched him, all pretense of bravado gone. "She won't take me, I think we both know that."

"Who won't?"

"My mom."

"I don't care." Jess just stood and stared back until Luke suddenly decided he was sick of this argument. "Don't you have some major partying to do with the Hot Topic crowd?" He turned on his heal and went inside, slamming the front door.

Jess stood on the front lawn, hands in his pockets, expressionless. Then he also turned, tearing a small tuft of grass with his heal, and walked off down the street towards town.

- - - - -

Rory's shoulders were freezing but her eyes burned, the combination of which gave the illusion of a fever. Despite her determination to go to the ladies' room and calm down, the lump in her throat had grown until she was fairly certain she wouldn't make it to the restrooms. Fortunately, she'd found a vacant balcony to hide on before the tears came. Now she was sitting on the cold stone, freezing, getting salty tears all over the knees of her white dress. Stupid! How was she going to clean up before she went back into the ballroom and explained herself to Dean…

"Rory?" Rory heard his voice before she registered the glass door sliding open and shut, first amplifying then muting the sound of Pearl Jam. She straightened up and attempted to dry her eyes on the back of her hand. "What's the matter, what happened?"

"Nothing," she said automatically.

Dean came and eased himself down next to her, folding his hands over his knees. "It's not nothing," he said, frowning. "What's going on with you?"

Rory drew a shaky breath. "I'm pathetic," she shot angrily. "I'm pathetic and a loser and you should have probably asked someone else to come with you tonight."

"I didn't want anyone else to come with me tonight," Dean said seriously. "Tell me what's going on."

"I…miss my mom." She sat up straight. "There, I said it, how pathetic is that?" Rory's tears started afresh. "And I've been feeling off all evening, like I'm in the wrong place because I am, because I'm supposed to be home with my mom watching sap and eating garbage and singing "_Fools Rush In"_ into our hairbrushes because that's really the only reason we keep renting _Some Kind of Wonderful_."

"Ah." Dean nodded, smiling just a little.

Rory turned to him suddenly. "And you wanted to make this special and I ruined everything!"

"Rory." Dean unclasped his hands and put an arm around her. His fingers touched her shoulder and he paused suddenly, putting his whole hand there. "Woah, you're freezing."

"Sorry," Rory murmured absently.

Dean shook his head, pulling his suit jacket off and putting it around her. "Quit apologizing."

Rory pulled the coat tight and Dean put his arm behind her. "I think I want to go home," she said quietly, new tears trickling down her cheeks at the words.

"Okay."

She looked at him. "Really?" Dean's face was a little unreadable, but it looked disappointed to her. Rory felt a weird twinge like a giant lurch in the pit of her stomach. "No. No, no that's not fair- you set all this up and I agreed to come, so…let's stay, we'll stay-"

"No." Dean stood up and offered her both hands. She hesitated for a moment, then took them and he pulled her to her feet. "Let's get you home."

- - - - -

Luke walked back into the Gilmore's house slowly, trying to think through how he was going to repair the damage. He came around the corner, fully expecting to see Lorelei on the sofa, but she wasn't there. He heard a soft clank in the kitchen.

"Lorelei?" Luke came around the corner and saw Lorelei sitting at the kitchen table with her back to him, a pink-and-red striped mug between her hands.

"He's right," she said. He could tell her voice was stuffy. He came around the table and she glanced up at him. Tears shone on both cheeks and her eyes were still glistening. She sniffled and looked away. "About Rory, Jess is right."

"No he's not." Luke pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "Don't let that little…punk get to you. He's always saying crazy trash like that."

"Luke-" Lorelei closed her eyes and shook her head tiredly. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Please don't pretend you weren't thinking the same thing." She looked at him, beginning to cry again. "It's true; I'm acting like a total nut-case with my- my plans and my stupid movies that I hate and I ordered _Thai_ food-"

"You hate Thai food."

"Exactly!" She ran a hand across her cheek. "And Jess was right about everything, I _hate_ that little Good Charlotte escapee was right."

"He wasn't."

"He was, Luke, I was just trying to keep you busy so you'd stay for dinner and maybe one of the movies I rented, that's how pathetic I've been, I was trying to _con_ you into staying, and I ruined your holiday-"

"Valentine's isn't much of a holiday for me anyway."

"Doesn't matter, I shouldn't have kept you here like that, I should have been straight with you. But I was embarrassed to tell you I can't enjoy a holiday without my kid here with me."

Luke leaned forward. "But that's completely normal. I mean you two are freakishly close, you're practically Siamese twins."

"Actually it's conjoined twins."

"Whatever-."

"And yeah, we are." She looked up at him and shook her head. "But one of these days…Rory's going to start spending Valentine's Day with her fiancé or her…her family. I don't like seeing that."

"Seeing what."

She shook her head a second time. "How she's growing away from me."

Luke reached over and grabbed one of Lorelei's hands, uncurling it from the steaming mug of coffee and holding it in his own. "You are not losing Rory."

"But I am," she whispered. "Or else she wouldn't be with Dean right now." Silence fell. Luke fished around in his own head, desperately looking for a decent reply. But Lorelei spoke first. "I can't keep her to myself, it's not fair to anyone. I have to…learn to share." She let out a derisive little laugh and pressed the fingers of her free hand to her eyes. Luke let go of her and stood, getting down next to Lorelei's chair.

"Look at me," he said frankly. Lorelei blinked hard and turned her head. "I'm not great at this whole 'don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened' philosophy stuff."

She smiled a little. "Dr. Seuss."

"A man of wisdom."

"That he was."

"But even when Rory's grown up, when she's making her own way, do you think she's going to ask Dean to help with her pro-con list for graduate schools? You think she'll ask her roommates to come mock the newest Spielberg flick with her?" Lorelei shrugged one shoulder. "You're home base, you got that? Rory…she's always come back here in the past, she always will." Luke put an arm on the back of Lorelei's chair. "And even when she's flying to Fez for her honeymoon, you think anyone in this town is going to let you sit home and kill your immune system alone?"

Lorelei finally smiled genuinely. "I guess not. But I don't share my Peeps with just anyone, I'm a very sensitive marshmallow person."

"How about me?"

Her smile grew and she tilted her head sideways onto her palm. "I guess I could make an exception for Mr. Coffee."

"But I'm not watching _Ghostbusters_."

"It was your idea."

"I hate _The Edge_ even more."

She sat up and sighed. "Fine…well what about _Rain Man_?"

"You didn't rent _Rain Man_."

"If you think I'm waiting a whole year to watch Tom Cruise do his losing-it dance, you're delusional."

Luke smiled and stood up. "I'll pop it in." He started towards the living room.

Lorelei turned to call after him, "While you're at it could you-"

"Not moving your TV again."

"What about when Rory's on her honeymoon in Fez and I'm home alone pining with my many cats?" She hollered.

"Not touching your stupid television ever again." Luke called back.

Lorelei grinned and spoke to herself. "Fair enough."

- - - - -


	7. Seven

- - - - -

Rory had tidied the room while Dean signed them out, then he went to get the car while Rory changed back into her shirt and jeans. Dean had come upstairs to get her and their stuff, and for a moment, he stood in the door, still dressed in his suit and tie, and he just stared at her in her everyday clothes with an odd look on her face. Since then, Rory couldn't stop wishing she'd just stayed in her dress. She felt like she was somehow slapping him in the face by getting changed.

Now the car rumbled around the two of them. They hadn't spoken a word since leaving. At first it was a tense silence, then a slightly uncomfortable one. Now it was just silence. Plain, unhappy silence. Rory shifted in her seat and stared out the window at the trees whizzing past.

She sighed, fogging the glass in front of her. "Geeze."

Dean glanced at her. "What?"

"I said geeze!" Rory kicked the floor under the dash. "This is so stupid- I'm so, so stupid. I can't believe I made you leave that gorgeous hall and Pearl Jam and the pink streamers and- can we go back? It's not too late to go back."

Dean sighed. "We're not going back Rory."

Rory looked at him with a pained expression. "That's right," she said at last. "That's right cause I'm such a big-baby mama's girl that I have to go home and take a nap."

"Rory-"

"Can you speed this thing up at all? I don't want to get there past my bedtime, my mommy will take my blanky away. I'm useless. You should be so lucky you found out how useless I am before my prom. Now you still have time to get a different girlfriend by then."

"Stop saying that kind of thing," Dean said sharply, giving her a stern look then staring back out the windshield.

Rory watched him. "I'm horrible girlfriend."

"And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I dumped you over something like this?"

Snow started to swirl down on them and Dean turned the wipers on. Rory let off a hysterical little laugh. "Something like- completely ruining your Valentine's Day plans?"

"Rory-" Dean said impatiently. "Do you have…any idea how many girls I've met who have no home life? And I don't mean they bicker with their parents or pick on their little brothers, I mean they really hate being home." Rory fell silent. "You don't know what an awesome thing it is that you're so close to your mom you call her your best friend. And you'd give up a candle-lit dinner and a ballroom waltz to sing "_Fools Rush In_" with her."

"You're not mad."

Dean gave her a steady look, glanced at the road, then leaned quickly to the side and kissed her. He settled in his seat again and watched the road, a satisfied smile lying comfortably on his face.

Rory wrapped her arms together and snuggled into her seat. "You…are one amazing boyfriend, Forester."

"Remember that when its my birthday. Unless you and your mom do something crazy on July 19th too."

"I'm pretty sure that's an empty slot. Actually…you know, we don't do much for New Year's either."

Dean glanced at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, we're always talking about how it's really weird we haven't worked out a decent tradition for that, but we typically end up drinking Ginger Ale and making up our own lyrics to "_Auld Lang Syne_", provided we actually notice when it's midnight. Usually we don't notice till one or two in the morning."

"So…" Dean laughed and Rory smiled at him.

"So, no. Not something I'd be broken up to miss."

"Alright. Sounds like a date."

"I'll find a way to make this up to you, Dean."

Dean nodded, pursing his lips in an amused smile. "No need."

Rory reached down by her feet where she'd stuffed her partially-filled backpack and unzipped the front compartment. She rummaged inside and pulled the VHS Dean had given her from the pocket, holding it up to him. "How would you like to witness a truly Gilmore Valentine's Day?"

Dean grinned. "Think that would be okay with Lorelei?"

"You clearly don't remember our first date."

Dean squinted. "I remember pizza and Oompa-Loompas and…I remember your hair looked really shiny."

Rory looked at him. "Shiny good or…or shiny I hadn't washed my hair?"

He laughed. "Shiny good. And you were wearing that sweater too…sort of cranberry, I don't know. Red-ish anyway."

Rory blushed deeply. "Well I remember you smelled really good."

"What?" Dean grinned incredulously at her.

"Don't ask. But that was Lorelei, she invited you. She's the one that wanted you in our home first, Dean, I think she'll understand."

He nodded. "In that case, yeah. I think I'd like to experience a Gilmore holiday."

"Good." Rory folded her arms and smiled. "Well, floor it, granny."

Dean scoffed in mock indigence. "What about _Fast and Furious _and the wheelchairs we will apparently end up in?"

"Blame it on Nicholas Cage, my friend."

- - - - -

Lane's body was beginning to thaw. After Kirk's disastrous oversight (who knew that an insulated building still required heating in below-thirty weather?) she'd spent the opening credits and much of the first several scenes of the movie trying to get the feeling back into her fingers. Stupid AC-DC and their stupid lightening bolt logo…Finally, though, she'd removed her scarf and hat, and now was wearing her winter coat at her elbows.

Despite the cozy couch, the warm coat and the baseboard heaters catching up with the cold inside, however, Lane felt uncomfortable. She was very aware of the couple behind her who had started kissing somewhere around the Valedictorian speech at the beginning of the film, and with the exception of old Mrs. Kinner (who had brought her crochet bag with her) Lane was the only person there without a date. It was no big deal, really. Who could fully enjoy a John Cusack flick with a boyfriend to distract you the whole time?

Still, it was definitely awkward and whether it was her imagination or not, Lane felt like everyone in the building had noticed this fact.

"_So, I'm single now," _Corey Flood said just then, "_and everything's changed. I hate it." _Lane smiled to herself.

She was beginning to settle and had convinced herself no one had even noticed her, when she heard a soft laugh behind her. Lane's mind scrambled for something about the current scene that could be funny to anyone and came up dry. _It's not about you_, she thought, but the laugh came again, this time a little louder and followed by a whisper.

Lane put up with the annoyance for the duration of the next scene, but about when Lloyd was taking Diane home, she'd had enough. She turned in her seat and faced the noisy high school couple. "Would you guys mind keeping it down?"

The girl glanced at her boyfriend then back at Lane. "Oh, sorry." Lane turned around just as the girl murmured something else to her boyfriend. Lane couldn't be certain…but it sounded like _spinster_. She froze. Then she turned around again.

"Excuse me?"

The girl, who had been kissing her boyfriend again, turned her attention back to Lane. "Where's your date, Cinderella?"

"Spinsterella," the guy chuckled under his breath.

"That's so clever, groupie, John Valby teach you that one?" Lane spat.

"Shh!" someone hissed from the back.

"Just daydream about John Cusack like all the other ugly girls," the girl answered sharply, affronted by the insults to her jock boyfriend. "Happy Valentine's, Mulan."

"I'm _Korean_!"

"Shh!"

"Whatever."

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Lane whirled in her seat. The first thought in her head was: _There is a boy sitting next to me in a dark theater; my mother is going to kill me_. Her second thought came out her mouth.

"Jess?"

"Hey, Lane." Jess smiled at her (an expression she couldn't recall seeing him make before), then glanced over his shoulder at the high schoolers. "These kids giving you trouble?" Lane glanced at them, but didn't have a chance to respond. Jess continued, "You got a problem, Barbie? You and your keg-party-Ken take it up with me, not my girlfriend. Got that?"

The girl muttered something back, then said, "Let's go, Brian."

"But we already paid to get in."

"Well I'm leaving with or without you."

"_Fine_." The happy couple exited the building in a whispered argument. Kirk, who had fallen asleep on the couch by the door, didn't notice when Brian threw what was left of his popcorn on the floor on their way out.

Lane slowly turned around in her seat, the next scene a total blur as she collected her thoughts. "What are you doing here, Jess?"

Jess glanced over his shoulder, noting a few couples who had begun to stare at him at him and Lane. "Playing boyfriend, what's it look like?"

"Yeah, but…_why_?"

"Why not?"

They watched the screen in silence. Lane sat up suddenly, shaking her head. "This isn't about what I said this afternoon, is it?" Jess notably didn't reply. "Jess? Please, please don't tell my mom you met me here. Maybe you think it's funny in that Ashton Kutcher, punked-out head of yours, but she will be furious. Not annoyed, furious, we're talking livid. The fiery Balrog in Lord of the Rings pales by comparison."

"There a speed-limit sign on the accusations train?"

"You're mad because I insulted you at Luke's today."

Jess turned and pointed at Lane's chest. "I didn't say I was mad." He sat back, staring vacantly at the screen. "And you didn't insult me."

"You're not here to get back at me."

"I'm a big boy, playing Lex Luthor never did it for me."

"Okay, then I don't get it."

Jess sighed. "You're missing the best romance of '89, so saith some cheesy movie-has-beens magazine."

"Why are you being nice to me, Jess?"

Jess rolled his eyes at her. "So it's true what they say about no good deed."

"Be straight with me, it's been a stressful Valentine's." Jess slouched in his seat and crossed his arms, and Lane figured he wasn't going to reply. "Fine," she said, and crossed her arms as well.

"You said I couldn't."

She looked at him. "Couldn't what?"

"You said I couldn't be nice if I tried. I don't like being told I can't do something. I came in here to blow the evening, and I saw your tiff with Ruth Handler."

"So…this _is_ a wounded pride thing."

"I never said it wasn't." He lifted a finger from where it rested on his forearm. "I said it wasn't a revenge thing."

"Well." Lane shrugged. "Sorry for hurting your feelings, then. You deserved it, you know, but…I'm sorry I said it." She glanced at him, but there wasn't a flicker of a response on his face.

Somewhere in the middle of the next scene, however, Jess spoke up again. "So how'd the 'where's your date' one-on-one get started?"

"Oh, you know. High schoolers."

"Bad?"

"I believe the word 'Spinsterella' was mentioned."

"Geeze, Valby teach him that one?" Lane smirked to herself. "Well, lucky I showed up when I did, then. Not bad for a pity-date."

"Not bad at all." Lane grinned and watched the screen. "Thanks."

"What?"

She glanced at him. "Nothing."

Silence. Then, "You're welcome."

"Oh!" Lane's hands suddenly snapped to her eyes. "Tell me when it's over."

Jess looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "What, the attack of the invisible ten-foot spiders?"

"Okay, I know this looks crazy."

"Margot Kidder would be taking notes."

"It's hard to explain."

"Oh, no I get it, Lloyd and Diane kissing to Peter Gabriel was clearly a scarring experience as a kid."

Lane looked at him from behind the fan of her fingers. "No, it's just something I promised my mom so I could come."

"Right, gratuitous kissage."

"Something like that."

"Okay," Jess shrugged and turned his attention back to the movie.

"I feel bad," Lane said, wincing. "This is like- the most romantic scene in the movie."

"Ah, I don't know. You've seen one John Cusack kiss you've seen them all. I fell asleep during _America's Sweethearts_." He looked at her. "So that promise. Doesn't include the boom box serenade, does it?"

"Absolutely not." She shrugged. "Not like it matters, since-"

"She doesn't come out."

"I know!"

"Serious let down."

"Write the studio."

"Fire the key grip or something."

"Amen, brother." Lane laughed and Jess told her she could put her hands down.

- - - - -


	8. The End

- - - - -

"It was not!"

"It was too, you want me to get the case."

"I don't own it- ha!"

"Well it was him."

"Luke Danes. Dustin Hoffman was _not_ in _Hook_, I would have remembered."

"He was, I can prove it."

"Who did he play."

"Hook." Lorelei hit him with a pillow. "Hey!" Luke snatched it out of her hands and she aimed a finger at him.

"I'm going to be so mad if you're right about that after all these years of watching that movie and believing he was one of those Mark Hamel people who never showed his nose in Hollywood again after a hallmark role."

"Look it up on the web."

"No, I choose to live in bliss."

Luke and Lorelei had ceased watching _The Rain Man_ about a half-hour ago. Lorelei was beginning to feel like Valentine's was finally turning into a holiday. Despite that, she hadn't touched the Peeps she'd sent Jess out to get. She had a feeling they wouldn't taste as good as they normally did.

"Oh yeah, well did _you_ know that the pirate who steals Robin William's shoe is Jimmy Buffet?"

"Yes." Lorelei scowled at him.

Lights flashed between the Gilmore's curtains, casting long, thin shadows on the living room ceiling, then going out. Lorelei turned on the sofa. "Did you send Jess home in your truck?"

"No." They both got off the couch and started out the dark window at the new car. "Do you recognize it?"

"I can't really see it- who would be dropping by here this late?"

The front door opened. "Mom?" Lorelei froze. She gave Luke a look of wide-eyed amazement. "Mom?"

"Rory?" Moments later, Rory came out of the entryway, her yellow backpack falling off her shoulder and onto the carpeted floor. Lorelei ran over to her and pulled her into a tight hug, arms crisscrossed over her back so she could squeeze her shoulders too.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mom," Rory laughed, a flutter of excited hysteria in her voice.

"Aw hon." Lorelei squeezed her, loosening her grip enough to reach up to the back of her head briefly. Then she stepped back, seeing Dean over her daughter's shoulder, her dress draped over his arm. He gently draped it over the table in the entryway, putting his hands in his pockets in uncertainty. "Dean, hey."

He raised one hand. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"So- what are you guys doing here so early?"

Rory gave Dean a significant look that made no sense to Lorelei but seemed to slacken the tension between Dean's shoulders. "I'll tell you all about it, but first-" Rory stooped to her backpack and dug out the VHS. "Dean bought me _Some Kind of Wonderful_!"

"Hey, awesome! Kirk can finally burn the magnetized rental copy."

"And I was thinking," she glanced at Dean again, "that Dean could stay and celebrate the rest of Valentine's with us?"

Lorelei smiled over at him. "I would love that."

"Good." Dean grinned back. "I would too."

"Good." Lorelei suddenly let go of Rory, hands over her mouth.

Rory looked at her, concerned. "Mom, what?"

"Groceries."

"What?"

"Groceries, we have no Valentine's groceries!" She spun to Luke, who was giving Dean a dubious look. "Luke? If you would go to the store and buy anything pink, white or red you can find, I'll be your best friend."

"I thought I was already best friend."

"Tim McGraw, actually, but if you can get to Doose's before it closes, I'll bump Tim to number two for you, and- oh! The videos too!"

Rory caught onto her mom's panic like a virus. "Oh no!"

"Is the video store even open?"

"Maybe I can call Kirk and ask him to keep it open just ten more minutes."

Rory shook her head. "Kirk's at the BWR tonight."

"Could you get there in ten minutes, Luke?"

Dean came out of the entryway. "I can help."

"I don't need the help, thanks Dean," Luke replied.

"Well I want to. You can get the groceries, I'll go to the video store."

"Really?" Lorelei said.

"Yeah, no problem."

"Dean, you're the best. You can have Tim's slot."

"Thank you, I'll take it." Dean grinned, then looked over at Luke. "You ready?"

He headed for the door, but Rory said, "Wait!" and he stopped. She went to him, smiled and jumped up on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Did I mention there's a _BattleBots _marathon waiting for you in July?"

"And a clown in a cake?"

"I'll put Joseph Grimaldi himself in a cake for you."

"It's a date." Dean touched her cheek and left, and Rory smiled watching him go.

Luke shouldered his coat. "I don't need the help."

"I know you don't," Lorelei placated. "But maybe the bagboy just wants to feel useful."

"Maybe so."

Lorelei grinned brightly. "Tick-tock." Luke scowled at her and went to the door.

"Thank you, Luke," Rory said brightly.

"Oh, no problem. Hey- do me a favor, Rory?"

"Anything."

"Who played the part of hook in the movie?"

Rory shrugged. "Dustin Hoffman."

Luke gave Lorelei his best told-you-so look. "Oh come on!" she hollered at him, and he shut the door. She turned to Rory. "All these years, you never told me. I should disown you."

"Or banish me."

"Or make you watch _The 5__th__ Wheel_."

"You _are_ a cruel being."

"Please pass the tanish root." Lorelei grinned and brushed Rory's shoulder with one hand. "You look really happy."

Rory rocked on her heals, beaming. "I think I am."

"So what gives, I thought you lovebirds would be back around two in the morning. Did you guys decide you're both too pretty to be seen together?"

Rory was like a revving engine and she circled the couch and sat down. Lorelei eagerly followed her. "Basically?"

"That's good, keep it basic. Use small words too, it's been a long night."

"Dean's just a really, really amazing boyfriend." She shrugged. "Who…really set up the perfect Valentine's date."

"Oh yeah?" Lorelei raised her eyebrows. "Cause those bad boy polo shirts and cotton socks of his had me a little worried."

"Mom."

"And the way he opens the door for you? Shifty."

"Are you going to let me tell you about it?"

Lorelei hugged a throw pillow to her chest. "Yes."

"Okay. So we get to Hartford, and I was feeling kind of weird, you know?"

"Cause you weren't here with mama?"

"Shush! You'll spoil the ending."

"Sorry, lip zipped, carry on."

"So we went upstairs to change, and I was just sitting there, just browsing TV channels. And have you ever actually watched daytime television? Cause there was seriously _nothing on_…"

- - - - -

"So, I was thinking I should probably pull out first," Dean said as he and Luke came down the front steps. "I parked on an angle, and I think I'm just barely behind your tailgate."

"That's fine," Luke said noncommittally, "you go right ahead and go first."

"And I'm taking the video store, right? Cause I don't mind doing Doose's, I do know my way around really well, you know." He grinned. "I mean, I should, right?"

"So what happened?" Luke broke in curtly.

"Excuse me?"

"What happened with you and Rory, why'd she want to come home so soon?"

"Well…I think that's probably a question you should ask her."

"No, I'm just curious."

"Okay then."

"I mean it's kind of weird. You guys come home three hours early and she's dying to see her mom and has a fistful of Kleenexes in her back pocket."

"Ah." Dean sighed, and looked over at Luke. "You saw those."

Luke crossed his arms and turned on Dean. "So what'd you do, Dean, huh?"

"What?"

"What'd you do this time?"

"Luke- what is your problem with me?"

"I want to know you did, why she's a wreck right now?"

"She's not a wreck, she's fine," Dean said sharply.

"You tell me what went on tonight, I'll tell you whether she's fine or not."

"It's actually none of your business."

Luke pointed at Dean's chest accusatorily. "It _is_ my business, Rory is my business, I've known her ten times longer than you have, and that makes her and about a hundred other things in this town more my business than your business!" He turned the same finger on the glowing living room windows. "And I'm sick of those two getting trampled on all the time."

"I didn't trample Rory!" Dean shouted back, his words coming out in a mist in front of him. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Luke took a step towards him, locking eyes. "Then enlighten me."

Dean sighed, shook his head, and looked away. After a moment he locked his jaw, turning an unhappily resigned expression on Luke, and said, "Rory wanted to come home cause she missed her mom."

"Sure."

"She _did_. And don't get me wrong, I had this whole evening planned; I was really looking forward to it." He shrugged, staring off down the driveway. "But what can you do? The price you pay for dating a Gilmore, I guess." Dean turned back to see that Luke was giving him an odd look. "What?"

"Nothing," Luke dismissed. "It's just- that's the truth, really?"

Dean grinned a little. "Those two are practically Siamese twins."

"Conjoined twins."

"Right, whatever."

Luke took a long, deep sigh, letting everything that had happened that evening go. He turned back to Dean. "I guess we should get going before the stores close."

Dean raised his eyebrows. "You sure you don't want me to take Doose's? I've got a key if he locks up before I get there."

"You know? Sure, why don't you do that."

"Okay, good." Dean headed for his car.

"Hey." Dean turned. "You really turned around and came home for Rory like that, that's…" he shrugged. "That's pretty great of you."

He nodded. "Thanks."

"Was it worth it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Coming all the way back to watch _Some Kind of Wonderful_ and eat cheap candy, was it worth it."

Dean popped his door and grinned. "It's all worth it for a Gilmore girl." He climbed inside, slammed the door, and started his engine.

_**The End**_


End file.
